A Conceivable Outcome
by Gigabomb
Summary: AU In a future where Gohan is overwhelmed by his saiyan side and conquers the galaxy, only a few remain to resist him. One of them is his father, thought dead for 23 years. Another is Cell, though the last thing he wants to do is face Gohan again.
1. Present Horrors

Author's Note: Well, here it is, uploaded five minutes after the last chapter of "An Alternate Afterlife." I actually wrote this on Sunday and the last chapter of AAA on Saturday, but the internet was down at my house. I guess I was just motivated to write this weekend. I'm calling this prologue, though it also includes a summary of "An Alternate Afterlife" and some character overviews for those of you out there who don't want to read the prequel. Take whatever meaning you want from what Gohan says and does. He's insane. Half the time I don't know what he's thinking either, and I'm the one writing him. This is the direct sequel to my other story, "An Alternate Afterlife," but just read this if you want to avoid slogging through 29,000 odd words. AAA was Cell and Goku centric, and while they are still rather central to the plot, there are now many other main characters. Gohan is perhaps now the most central to the plot, though like every other character, he will not be in every chapter.  
Summary  
  
Things pretty much proceed exactly as the canon dictates up until the moment Cell arrives in front of King Enma's desk. The android successfully argues his case for why Hell isn't suitable for him, and Fortune Teller Baba likes his attitude enough that she bullies King Enma into making Cell his assistant. Goku shows up and Cell somehow ends up in the Otherworld Tournament, but quits before the final round. He and Goku become sparring partners due to a lack of other decent power levels, and somewhere along the line Cell starts liking Goku, though he thinks the saiyan is a bit of an idiot.  
  
Meanwhile, three years later, Gohan is depressed because his mother seems to have forgotten about his father, and one day while shopping the teen demi-saiyan sees her kissing another man. Ostensibly because he wants to tell Goku about Chi-chi's 'betrayal,' but really because of his desperate loneliness, Gohan kills himself, but not before telling Piccolo to resurrect him in three month's time.  
  
Back in Otherworld, Enma goes on vacation and leaves Cell in charge, despite the fact that Cell had been planning to go on a vacation of his own. A few hours before Enma gets back, Gohan arrives in the checking station and sees Cell, but fails to recognize him out of his armor and in an Armani suit. Cell, however, recognizes Gohan perfectly, but while he is trying to process the fact that Gohan is dead, one of the ogres realizes that Gohan has a body and hustles him off to the next flight to the Grand Kai's planet.  
  
It is there that Gohan sees his father for the first time in three years, and Goku isn't happy about it. He berates Gohan for abandoning his family, and Gohan in return starts letting all the bitterness he held for his father leaving them. Before they get properly sorted out, Cell shows up, and Gohan finally recognizes his arch-nemesis. He loses his control, and his saiyan side promptly takes over, blasting a hole through Goku's chest so he won't interfere. Gohan (now calling himself Nione, to differentiate himself from his human side) proceeds to torture Cell in a rather gruesome fashion. Goku, however, is not truly out of commission, and manages to distract Gohan long enough to grab Cell and perform an Instant Transmission.  
  
The problem with this is that Goku is severely power drained and doesn't have a destination in mind, so he and Cell end up in a forest and Goku promptly faints. Cell, in the meantime, is comatose, for various reasons. They are found by a patrol of the Emporium, though what that is, is not yet known. Before they are taken back to base, most of the patrol is killed by a Rebellion squad, which takes the surviving member of the patrol hostage and brings Cell and Goku back to their hidden base. There Goku wakes up to see someone who looks exactly like himself, who introduces himself as Goten, Goku's younger son. It turns out Goku's Instant Transmission moved them twenty years into the future, where Gohan cruelly presides over the galaxy.  
  
Cell is still in a coma, but gets a visit from Bardock, Goku's father, who is in Hell but gained psychic powers shortly before his death, and tells Cell to warn Goku to stay out of things. Cell tours his mind for a while, which consists of bare-bones versions of the minds of Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Frieza, though all he gets to is Goku before the actual Goku gets through his mind shields and snaps him out the coma. Awakened, Cell refuses to fight Gohan, as their earlier encounter gave the demi-saiyan a hold over Cell's mind. He leaves, and Goten plans to report the recent happenings to the leader of the Rebellion, Lady Bulma.  
  
The Characters So Far  
  
Cell- At first appearing to have mellowed somewhat after death, it became all too clear after his resurrection that he still cares for no one and nothing. His connection to Gohan continually weighs in his mind, as his glimpse into the demi-saiyan's soul left no doubt as to the madness that lay there. His whereabouts are currently unknown.  
  
Goku- After appearing in the future, he agreed to assist the Rebellion in defeating Gohan, who he still believes can be saved. Still forever optimistic, the saiyan's recent losses have left him somewhat subdued, and in doubt of his ability to judge people.  
  
Gohan- After his saiyan half took over, Gohan's two sides warred for control over his body, but in the process started to mirror each other in such a way that it is almost impossible to tell one from the other. He is not yet aware of Cell's and Goku's presence in his reality, but that won't last long. He currently resides on Taros III, the capital of the Emporium.  
  
Goten- A colonel of the Rebellion, Goten bares an uncanny resemblance to his father, but only in appearance. His powers are not yet known, but he possesses a tail and therefore the ability to transform at the sight of the full moon. His loathing for Gohan is legendary, but not his reasons.  
  
Marron- A commander of the Rebellion, she currently serves under Goten. Despite being battle-hardened warrior, she manages to find time to keep her nails in good shape. You might as well look good while you blow your enemies' heads off their shoulders.  
  
Krillin- Married to Android Eighteen, Krillin no longer battles but is a valued advisor to Lady Bulma. He constantly worries for his daughter, but knows his power is not sufficient to protect her.  
  
Android Eighteen- She is married to Krillin and is the mother of Marron, but besides that not much is known.  
  
Lady Bulma- The leader of the Rebellion.  
  
Piccolo- The second and advisor of Gohan. Despite everything that has happened, his love for his former student remains.  
  
Those Whose Fate Is Not Yet Determined  
  
Vegeta  
  
Trunks  
  
Dende  
  
Yamcha  
  
Tien  
  
Master Roshi  
  
Chi-chi  
  
Chao-tzu  
  
Puar  
  
Oolong  
  
?  
  
Prologue  
  
"He looks like Goten, doesn't he, Piccolo." The namek glanced at the writhing body on the table. Blood streamed from what was left of the eyes, and trickled from the edge of the mouth. "This is not Goten, Gohan." "I know that." ((I'm not sure you do, Gohan.)) The fixated stare never left as the demi-saiyan raised his hand, and almost lazily ran it across the cheek of the figure Piccolo could no longer honestly call a person. The scream intensified, but suddenly cut off. He couldn't stop himself from closing his eyes to the still twitching body. "Goten wouldn't scream like that. He never screamed." Gohan glanced to the side, at the scientist who froze, eyes wide. "Dispose of this. It is no longer of use." He walked away. Piccolo kept his eyes closed to the horror, whether it was the corpse or the demi-saiyan before him, he didn't know.  
  
The spiky hair was especially hard to look at. It reminded him too much of Goku, and what a mockery his legacy had become. Sometimes, it was too much to bear. Gohan was far too fond of this room. And its inhabitants.  
  
He followed Gohan, as he always did after one of the sessions, which led them both to the room off the royal quarters. There were books; on calculus, on biology, on chemistry. A bed, too small for anyone but a child. Pictures. Memories. In the middle of the room stood Gohan. His eyes were blank. "I did another bad thing, didn't I, Mister Piccolo." "Yes, Gohan." "I'm a bad person, aren't I, Mister Piccolo? Only bad people do bad things." The room was difficult, but this. . . this was the hardest thing to take. "No, Gohan, you aren't a bad person. Everyone does bad things. It's just a mistake." "I make lots of mistakes." "Everyone does, Gohan. You aren't perfect." "Daddy never made any mistakes." "Goku made lots of mistakes, Gohan." "Yes. He left us." ((And he's never coming back.)) "Why did he leave us?" "He wanted to protect you, Gohan." "From what?" Piccolo never knew what to say to that, no matter how often the question was asked. "He didn't come back this time." ((I'm sorry Gohan. I tried to protect you. But how could I succeed where the great Goku failed?))  
  
It was then that Gohan blinked, and turned to stare at Piccolo, or rather, past him. This wasn't part of the pattern. Piccolo felt a shudder run down his back. As horrible as it was, as long as there was a pattern, nothing could get worse. Of course, conditions couldn't improve, either, but the namek had long since acknowledged that things would never get better. The slow smile that spread across the demi-saiyan's face was the only clue Piccolo received, but it was enough. Nione was back in control. But in saying that, Piccolo was lying to himself. Nione was Gohan. There was no puppeteer pulling the strings. Gohan was himself, far more than he had been before the death of his father.  
  
"I haven't felt that in years." In a totally unfamiliar gesture, Gohan raised a hand to where his neck met his shoulders. Repetitively running a finger back and forth, eyes closed, he whispered breathlessly, "I've forgotten. . . how clear. This feeling. . ." The demi-saiyan shuddered, but unlike Piccolo, it wasn't from a feeling of horror, but of pleasure. "He's here. My creation. . . he knows. He's afraid." Piccolo couldn't help but think whoever this creation was, he or she was very sensible. In their position, he'd be terrified.  
  
In a continued whisper, rocking back and forth, Gohan murmured, "You're trying to run, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll find you." A giggle. "I always find my pets, no matter how long they're lost. No matter how well they hide. I always find them." The fingers digging into the demi-saiyan's neck began to draw blood, but went unnoticed. "And when I find you, we'll be able to finish what my dear father interrupted."  
  
Piccolo sometimes wondered what others would think if they saw Gohan like this, but knew it wouldn't be good. Not that he feared for Gohan's safety; more like he feared for theirs. Gohan had never taken kindly to criticism. Luckily, most of the time Gohan was far more lucid. It would pass. It always did, though every time he couldn't help but feel sorry for Gohan's new fixation. Or in this case, an old one that seemed unfinished. How Goku could interfere, he didn't know, but the saiyan had always had a way of messing with things from beyond the grave.  
  
Through his musings, the namek finally realized Gohan was speaking to him. "I will find my pet eventually, but that will take time. I'm not that patient. Prepare another clone." A distracted smile. "Goten is always there for me when I need him. And he'll be there forever. Just like you, Piccolo." A genuine smile this time. Piccolo smiled back. ((Whoever you are, keep on running. And never look back. For then Gohan will have you. And he will never let go.)) 


	2. Future Revelations

Author's Note: This is a chapter of revelations, and besides Gohan's general creepiness, where the slash begins. Of course, it starts with one of the most unconventional pairings, ever. Cell isn't going to appear for one or two more chapters. This is the longest chapter is the continuation, including offshoots and side stories. The fate of most of the Z Fighters is dismal at best. Ain't angst great? Also included: some proof that insanity may indeed run in families.

dragonfire onna- You would probably understand this better if you read the prequel, "An Alternate Afterlife." Don't worry, I'm not going to stop anytime soon, though there may be some lag time between updates (this is my fastest and longest ever.)

Kai's fury- Your questions are answered. Yey.

Jay Goose- You're right, you aren't going to find out in this chapter, but no, that's not why Gohan messes with Goten's clones. He never tortured Goten. He's actually referring to sparring matches they had. Gohan has a fixation on Goten (as well as other people, though in this case the obsession comes because Gohan has a fear of his loved ones leaving him) and he tortures clones because that's the only way he can interact with Goten on some level when Goten isn't actually there. Gohan actually doesn't especially care about Goku. He's on Gohan's "loved ones that left me" list, but in the overall scheme of things Goten is far more important to Gohan than Gohan is. And for number two, well, duh. Revision: Sorry, I wrote this note kind of late and wasn't in a good mood. Please don't feel offended. I'm like that to everyone.

Goten was silent the entire journey to Arakis. Goku didn't mind. He didn't feel much like talking. Though for some reason, the quiet seemed to be more turbulent than anything. Goten was waiting for something, and being very impatient about it. He didn't move, really, but his aura fluctuated erratically, from anticipatory to hesitant and back again. Goku knew they were going to visit Bulma. He had only been slightly surprised to hear she lead the rebellion against Gohan, but something told him it wasn't reporting to his boss that made Goten so nervous.

Eighteen had been left in charge of the base on Fulkin, with Marron taking the lead in military operations. Krillin came along with Goten and Goku; apparently his stay on Fulkin was an anomaly, merely a visit to his wife and daughter. He spent most of his time at Bulma's side, giving advice when her knowledge was found lacking.

"He's her bodyguard then?" Goku had asked Goten. The demi-saiyan had tensed at that; not much, but visibly enough to one trained to know body cues. His response had been clipped. "No."

Their arrival on Arakis was unremarkable, except for the person who greeted them. "Goku!" The saiyan's eyes widened. "Yamcha?" Unlike Krillin, the former desert bandit's hair hadn't grayed, but there were visible wrinkles around his eyes and mouth; his eyes still held their former brightness, though slightly dimmed. Whether it was from age or the ravages of war, Goku couldn't tell. However, it was the frailty of the body Goku held in his arms as they embraced that truly drove it home how far away he was from the life he knew. "Goku, Goten told us that you had come back, but I didn't truly believe it. After Gohan came back. . . we waited years, Goku." Yamcha looked into Goku's eyes, pleading. "Where were you?" "I wasn't anywhere, really. I wasn't. . . I just wasn't." "Um, that went right over my head, Goku." "I was traveling through time. I wasn't anywhere because I didn't exist." "Traveling through time? How is that possible? You didn't get a copy of Future Trunks' time machine, did you?" "I guess the Instant Transmission is a more diverse technique than we thought." Throughout all this, Goten remained silent, but his eyes roamed the landing pad, looking. For what, Goku didn't know. However after the initial excitement of seeing Yamcha again, Krillin grinning to the side, the saiyan wondered. "Hey Yamcha, where's Bulma?" "She's busy." Some hurt. "But it's been years. . ." Some bitterness, this time from Yamcha. "Don't worry Goku, it isn't you. She's always busy. Not that I can blame her. We're not exactly winning the war. I'll take you to her."

The guards, in basic battle armor, parted before the four as they walked down the halls of the Arakis base. Yamcha supplied the narrative. "This is the armory, this is the cafeteria. . ." He noted Goku's eager eyes. "We'll look around there later. Goku, I've heard some pretty bizarre rumors. Some say you brought Cell with you, of all people." "I did." The human glanced at the saiyan, wide-eyed. "You have to be shitting me?! You're telling me that not only do we have Gohan to worry about, but Cell too? What the hell are we going to do?" "Cell isn't going to bother the Rebellion, Yamcha. I'm pretty sure he isn't going to bother anybody." Goku's eyes hardened, mostly to hide the hurt from the scarred human. "He doesn't care enough about people to get any enjoyment from their emotions, whether they're happy. . . or suffering." Obviously it was a touchy topic. Yamcha changed the subject.

"You might see some weird people around here, Goku. We don't attract a lot of savory types. Of course, savory types wouldn't do us much good, but don't get all wacked out if you see something weird, okay?" This instantly brought suspicion. "Yamcha, I can count the number of times I've "wacked out" on one hand. What should I expect that's so weird you're warning me about it?" Before Yamcha could answer, Krillin shouted out brightly, "Look, we're here guys!" The doors opened, and Goku's mouth promptly dropped open. Standing near the doorway, his back to them, was Frieza.

----

Of course, at the sound of the opening doors, the changeling turned around. Goku could do nothing but breath. Frieza was dead. He had to be. Of course, Goku hadn't been there when the changeling met his demise, but the reports he had received from his friends had left no doubt to the contrary. Something was very wrong with the universe, besides him being in the future and Gohan's insanity.

This already strange occurrence took a turn for the surreal when Frieza's expression brightened at the sight of him. The changeling strode towards him, and before the saiyan could do anything about it, grasped his arm in an all too familiar act. "Goten, I can't believe you managed. . ." Several things were noticed. Number one: Goten didn't have a tail. Number two: Frieza was about a foot too tall. The saiyan and the changeling stepped back simultaneously. "What in Kaoushin's name. . ." "What going on?" Yamcha stepped forward with a nervous smile. "Well, I did try to warn you Goku." "Goten?" The unknown changeling stared at the real demi-saiyan, who stood silently near the door, looking like he would like to disappear. "Who is this?" "I'd like to ask the same question." An irritated sigh. But it wasn't from any of the fighters. "Kami, Goku, if I knew you would be so tense about the whole thing, I would have had Krillin brief you first." Bulma stepped out of the shadows. "But it isn't good policy to send information over a connection. They are never entirely secure." She looked older. Her hair was lined with gray, and wrinkles lined her face, but they took nothing away from the intensity of her eyes. Goku remembered that all too well. "I might as well get things started. Cooler, meet Goku. He's Goten's father. Goku, meet Cooler. He's Frieza's elder brother." A stunned silence. "Now that I've gotten most of the awkwardness out of the way, it's time for dinner. There's enough for everyone." A smile." "Even you, Goku. Don't worry, I remember how voracious your appetite is. I even got rice balls."

----

Goku tried to stop himself from staring, but the fascination wouldn't leave him. His appetite was only a minimum distraction, as he watched Frieza's elder brother move his food around his plate, studiously keeping his eyes away from Goku. Instead, the changeling spoke with Bulma and Krillin, both of whom he was obviously familiar with. And Goten looked at nothing but the wall, but his jaw shifted around, in an effort to keep himself from saying anything. Krillin and Yamcha were uncomfortable with the proceedings, though Krillin hid it far better than the former desert bandit. Only Bulma seemed entirely at ease, discussing possible troop movement between two major Rebellion bases with Krillin.

Despite everything that had happened, his eyes kept straying back to Cooler. He mentally scolded himself for ever confusing him with the changeling he had fought eight years ago. . . or was it twenty-eight? Either way, the differences were obvious. The height, the color switch, the numerous scars. . . especially the one that diagonally dissected Cooler' face. And that mark on his back that Goku had only seen for a split second before they first were introduced. A triangle within a sphere within another triangle, branded into the skin right above the left shoulder-blade. Before his encounter with Goku, Frieza had possessed no scars.

"Yamcha, what is Cooler doing here?" The human glanced at Goku. "He's Bulma's bodyguard." "What is Frieza's brother doing guarding Bulma?" "It's a long story." The saiyan watched everyone pick at their food. "Well, it seems like we're going to be here awhile." "Goku, it isn't my place to tell you anything."

Things had changed so much. Goku was used to knowing pretty much everything about people. Everyone opened up to him. And here was one of his oldest friends, refusing him any type of information.

A sigh. Bulma stood up. "Well, since no one is going to eat anything, I suppose we should start filling Goku in on what's happened the past twenty years. Goku, I don't know what happened to make Gohan snap, but. . ." "He saw Cell, and he lost control over his feral side. Gohan tried to destroy my soul so he could torture Cell. While he was distracted, I managed to grab Cell and use my Instant Transmission to come here." "Torture Cell how?" This was the first thing Cooler had said to Goku since he had found out who he was, though he still didn't look at the saiyan. "Well, he. . . burned Cell's skin off. And. . . I wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, but at one point it looked like he was trying to bite Cell's head off at the neck. Really creepy, especially since. . ." "It left a scar." "Yeah! And Cell doesn't scar. And I mean ever." The saiyan looked curiously over at the changeling. "How do you know that?" Cooler mumbled something before standing up and heading for the door. Bulma said to the changeling's back, "Do you mind?" He stopped at the doorway. "Anything I have to offer you is at your disposal, Lady Bulma." He left. With one last glance at Goku, Goten followed.

Bulma sat down with a sigh, for the first time truly looking like she had fought a war for the past twenty years. "Well, awkward doesn't begin to cover that." "What did he say?" "'Gohan was always frustrated when the bites faded.' Gohan likes to have 'pets.' To say he has control issues is an understatement. Before Goten rescued him, Cooler was one of them." Another sigh. "Cooler is a great asset to me, but he has a mind block against saying anything bad about Gohan, or even thinking something negative. He's a great bodyguard, but his tactical skill is useless against the Emporium.

"I remember Gohan as a child, Goku, but the person he was then and the person he is now are two entirely different beings. We've only been able to retrieve a couple of Gohan's toys, and Cooler is the only one we managed to get with most of his mind still intact. The others wouldn't say anything, and the only thing they would respond to is Gohan's name. Their reactions varied. Some would die on the spot. Another wouldn't stop screaming. We had to keep him sedated until his heart stopped. It changes from being to being how long they last through Gohan's interest. A few only last a few days.

"Before his capture, Cooler was never a part of the Rebellion. His goals sometimes paralleled ours. . . he didn't want Gohan in power either. Then there was a mole in his organization, and all of his followers were killed.

"The strong ones always seem to break more thoroughly under Gohan. Cooler isn't sure how long he was with Gohan, but Goten says it was at least eight years. He wasn't in good shape by the time he was brought to us four years ago. At first we thought he was like the others, but Cooler's mind recovered. Mostly.

"When Gohan first came back from death, we hardly noticed a difference. He was moodier, but the only obvious change was that he seemed to spend more time with Piccolo. It took a few months before we linked to sudden increase in murders in Satan City to Gohan, though the charred bodies should have been a clue. By then, it was too late. At his request, I had already built Gohan a spaceship. The last thing he did before he left our solar system for good was blow up the Earth. Only a few hundred of us got off alive."

After her narration, Bulma fell silent. Despite the tears in her eyes, Goku knew he had to learn more, no matter how terrible it was. "What about the others? Vegeta? Tien?" Bulma shook her head as the tears finally fell down her face. It was Krillin who continued the tale. "Gohan knew Vegeta was the only one left who could hope to challenge his power. He killed him right before he left. Tien and Chao-tzu could have left with us, but they chose to stay on Earth when it blew up. So did Master Roshi. . . Oolong. . . Turtle. . . Mister Popo. . ." Yamcha chose that moment to speak up. "Puar is still with me. She's okay, I guess. I mean, she almost didn't come, but when I told her I was, she said she would, if only to keep me out of trouble." The scarred human cracked a weak smile. Goku didn't feel like laughing. "Chi-chi?" Krillin looked to the side. "Gohan took her with him. I guess, despite everything, he still knew she was his mother. We don't know what happened after that.

"It took some time for the Rebellion to get started. Most people thought that Gohan wouldn't be any worse than Frieza, who they had lived under for decades, but Gohan has a streak of cruelty and madness that even he couldn't match.

"For a while, all Gohan did was consolidate the Emporium. He didn't have time to indulge most of his. . . urges. People started to relax. They thought the power shift wouldn't affect them. Then people started disappearing off the streets. Some were never seen again. Others. . . we don't know what Gohan does to his followers to make them as fanatically loyal as they are. What few informants we have can tell us nothing, and Cooler doesn't remember enough to know why he is the way he is. Gohan installs mind shrieks in the brains of artificially grown soldiers, but that isn't possible for those fighters born naturally.

"We think Dende was his first test subject. With the destruction of the Earth, the only dragonballs left were the ones on New Namek. You'd think Gohan would want such power, but the first thing Dende ever did under Gohan was lead the forces that ultimately destroyed Namek. Rumors say he laughed as his homeworld was charred to ashes.

"You must understand, Goku. Even after the destruction of Earth, we couldn't believe that it was Gohan doing all this. We thought it was someone imitating Gohan, or something was controlling him, but that leaves a lot of stuff unexplained. Like why we have footage of Piccolo watching New Namek burn with tears in his eyes, but he still continues to follow Gohan. If it was an imposter, he would have defected. But we think Piccolo is still trying to salvage Gohan's soul. Even if he loses his own in the process.

"Our forces have grown. Bulma has developed technology that makes it infinitely easier to hide, but our greater fighters cannot achieve full power without being detected, which leaves us at a distinct disadvantage."

Goku ran a list through his head of all the fighters he knew. Most of them had been accounted for. "Who is your most powerful fighter?" Krillin, who seemed to be the current fountain of wisdom with Bulma trying to control herself, answered. "Goten. We think Cooler might actually be more powerful, but due to the fact he refuses to actually go up against Gohan's forces and the lack of opportunity to calculate his ki, we're not really sure." "So he's a super saiyan." "Yes. Not that he's been able to use it. Super saiyan power overloads our ki shielders. And it's not like it matters. Super saiyan is overkill for everyone except Piccolo and Gohan, and Goten doesn't stand a chance against them. The one time Goten faced off against Piccolo, he got creamed. We barely got him out of there alive, and that's even when I'm pretty sure Piccolo let us go.

"Goku, with the way this war is going, we're going to lose. We might last a few months, maybe even a few years, but Gohan is so powerful, Goku. You know how scary he was when he fought Cell? Well, think that times a thousand. But with you here, I think we may actually stand a chance, Goku." The former monk smiled at the former champion of Earth. Goku smiled back. He wasn't so sure of his chances as Krillin was, especially without Cell at his back, but hey, he was Goku. Trying was what he did best. Though facing Gohan right off probably wasn't the greatest idea. Something finally occurred to the saiyan.

"Hey, is Trunks around? He's Vegeta's son, he must offer some serious fire power." The already dismal mood in the dining room fell a few notches. Bulma's eyes closed. "Goku. . . Trunks is with Gohan." "What?!" The saiyan couldn't help himself from shooting to his feet. "Trunks sided with Gohan?! How could he? Gohan killed his dad! You're his mom!" Krillin shook his head. "He didn't side with Gohan, Goku. Shortly after Goten got Cooler away from Gohan, Trunks challenged him. Trunks is also a super saiyan, and unfortunately, he. . . um. . ." "Don't try to spare a mother's feelings, Krillin. To put it bluntly, Trunks, despite barely remembering Vegeta, inherited his father's ego. And Gohan likes his pets strong, Goku." She stood up and turned away. "Excuse me, I have some plans to expand the base that need to be looked over."

Goku watched her leave the room, though through a separate set of doors than Goten and Cooler. "She lost everything, then." Yamcha smiled sadly. "I really don't know how she does it, Goku. I don't know where she gets the strength to get up every day. Despite the fact that Vegeta was an arrogant bastard, Bulma loved her husband. And she lost him. And sixteen years later, she lost her son as well. It's kind of a weird reflection of the situation Chi-chi went through in Future Trunks' time, except Bulma is doing everything she can to stop it from happening to anyone else.

"I still love her, Goku. If anything, I love her even more after seeing how strong she really is. But I can't compete with a dead guy, Goku. Vegeta leaves an even bigger shadow now than when he was alive. And Bulma would feel like she was degrading some memory if she ever allowed herself to love again. And I won't try and make her."

((Nobility, thy name is Yamcha.)) Goku couldn't help but think of a saying Cell once quoted to him. Despite his outward playboy nature, Yamcha was perhaps one of the most honorable of the Earth's fighters. Trying to help even when he was scared out of his mind. Stepping back when he saw the woman he loved, loved another, and standing by her side when she lost everything, but always respecting the shadows her loved ones had left behind.

Things in this universe were even worse than they were in the universe Future Trunks had come from. At times like this, Goku wondered if it would have been a better idea for Trunks to stay in his own time, and left theirs alone.

----

"Cooler, why did you walk off like that?" The changeling stopped in the doorway to his room, his back to his friend. "Goten, do you realize why Gohan has so many pets?" A pause. "There's an actual reason besides his general insanity?" Cooler flinched, but chose to ignore it. "Gohan was looking for something. Or someone. I lasted so long because certain aspects of my personality greatly resemble those of the person Gohan is looking for. I think Trunks might still be himself, as he also is in some ways similar, but soon, he will no longer be needed. Because Gohan's search is almost over." "But who. . . Cell." "It's kind of odd to realize the only reason my sanity is still intact is I used to have the arrogance that characterized Cell." "It has to be more than that." Goten smiled at the changeling. "I have heard stories of the android. It has also been said he is greatly intelligent, and powerful as well. A great warrior." Cooler chuckled degradingly. "I hardly think that qualifies me." "I met Cell, remember? He isn't a hero. He left us to rot. But I never said you were exactly like Cell. Just that you had some traits in common with him." The demi-saiyan stepped closer to the changeling. The smile he wore in no way resembled his father's. Though he couldn't know it, Goten at that moment bore an uncanny resemblance to his saiyan grandfather at his most predatory. "The better ones."

"Stop it, Goten." His voice shaking, Cooler took a step back. Unfortunately, he had not yet opened the door to his room, so his back met cool metal instead of the sanctity of his domain. "Why?" "We can't. . . damn it Goten, stop hungering after your brother's leftovers!" "Stop acting like everything centers around that bastard! Just because Gohan fucked with you. . ."

"You know how Gohan affects people, Goten. I can't stop loving him, despite the fact that I loath everything he did to me and anything he does. . ." A deep, shuddering breath. "And you can't stop hating him, despite his love for you. And neither of us can stop thinking about him. Ever."

"I love you, you know. I can't stop that, either." "It doesn't matter, because love isn't that simple. Either you love me because you took me with you when you left your brother for good and you have a savior complex, or it all comes back to Gohan. And your efforts to spite him." "He's my brother, and he ruins everything he touches. Why don't you want me to help fix what he destroyed? I can help you forget him." Cooler shook his head. "And that's why I can't be with you. Because you are a constant reminder to me. . . and I am a constant reminder to you. We can be friends, Goten. I was fond of you, even when we were both under Gohan's influence, and I like to think we got along well even after that. But any more than that, and forgetting is an impossibility, even though that is what we both truly need." He opened the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Goten. Goodnight."

Goten continued to stand in the hallway, even after the door had closed. The bitterness that had been his constant companion over the past four years resurfaced with a vengeance. "Leftovers. Reminders. What bullshit. He's still in love with him!" The fist he slammed into the wall left a visible dent, but years of ingrained secrecy had left Goten continually wary of increasing his power in case of detection. "Everything that happens, even if he isn't there, even if he doesn't know it's happening, it's his fault. He stained the universe red." Staggering down the hall, Goten sank to his knees. "I want anything apart from him, and I still see the blood. Even Cooler. . . even him. That damned brand is just a stupid manifestation of the stain that has permeated him since Gohan got his claws embedded in Cooler's soul. I hate you. . . I hate you!

"I loved you, you know. My older brother, my idol. You taught me everything. Except what you were doing to the universe. It took Cooler, what I saw you were doing to him, for me to break my shell.

"Cooler. . . it isn't a hero complex. It isn't about Gohan. It's about what you taught me, and what I'd be if it wasn't for you. And what has happened since then, with you.

"Gohan has to die, before the stain can be washed away. Before you can forget him. Before I can be with you. There is nothing to save. Whatever good that was ever in my brother is long since dead.

"Father. . . father can kill him. I just have to. . . yes. If he hesitates. . . all I have to do is make him understand. And everything will be all right. And we can be together, at last."


	3. Past Remembrance

Author's Note: This is just some back story. I didn't feel like advancing the plot. Expect an addition to "An Interesting Future" relatively soon. I already started it. Those who wonder about the fate of Videl and Satan, they're dead as it gets. I don't like Videl, so rather than ruining her as a character, I just omit her entirely. Besides, a Gohan/Videl romance would be extremely creepy, under the circumstances. I am currently in the process of editing "An Alternate Afterlife" and the mess will be a much cleaner mess after I'm done. Keep in mind, in that story I never thought to the next chapter. I just sat down and wrote whatever I felt like.

I know this chapter kind of switched verb tenses halfway through, but it's easier to write that way. I think you guys get it: this is a flashback, it's just really long. Goten is quickly shaping up to be a main character, though I didn't intend for him to be one. A tip for writers: Online Thesaurus's are good, useful tools. I use one all the time. Just don't use words you don't know, or your story will come out sounding odd.

Jay Goose- Trunks isn't going to show up that much. He'll be in a couple chapters, but only when there is a use for him. Cell is going to show up next chapter or the one after, I promise. You get some Gohan here, though.

Phoenix-Rising- I know, I'm currently revising AAA for that very reason, as I have a bad habit of posting stories before looking them over. My tendency to not separate speakers I could claim is a remnant of English class permanently lodged in my brain, but that would be a lie, as I love writing in sentence fragments. As for why. . . no one thinks in complete sentences, and I am writing from characters' perspectives, after all.

Goten couldn't remember ever being especially bothered by blood, or death. He first kill had been at four; a training instructor who had said his stupid catchphrase one too many times, and criticized his technique, which was far more exact than the instructor's. Before that, all he had been was Lord Gohan's younger brother; prestigious to be sure, but nothing on its own. Afterwards, he was no longer regarded as a child.

At his first purging, he had just entered his sixth year. Piccolo had wanted him to have a solid enough defense that a stupid mistake wouldn't lead to him being killed by a lesser opponent. It was nothing like the murder of the instructor; the adrenaline rush lasted much, much longer, and the blood had soaked all of his clothes, not just a smattering across the face like before. He had watched mothers beg for their children's lives, and observed the weeping of those children over their parents' bodies before he sent tight energy beams through whatever passed for their major organs, killing them instantly. Mercy killings. At most, he felt contempt for their weakness; otherwise there was nothing.

At seven, he realized why his mother never left her room. Gohan wouldn't let her. She would try and find something, anything with an edge. Slit her wrists, her throat. Once she even made it as far as to actually get a hold of a kitchen knife before she was finally located. The guard on duty at the time was executed for his incompetence. But his mother had always been a determined woman. She finally achieved her goal when Goten was sixteen. The body was still warm when he had come across her the next morning. Goten knew the Rebellion thought he was unaware of his mother's fate. He had no desire to correct them.

At eight, he witnessed his first torture session. Nothing was left untouched by Gohan and his edged weapon of choice. Blunt, it took much longer. Nothing was left unscathed. As the body on the table screamed out everything, anything he could think of to end it, Gohan heard what information he had been searching for. He cut the tongue out for silence, as the screams had gotten beyond irritating; he cut the heart out to bring death, as the usefulness of the body was at an end.

Goten had never been bothered by torture, either. It was often necessary. You had to get the information somehow, and of course, it always took something to get your enemies to talk. He had never especially liked it, but he didn't like broccoli either; sometimes unpleasantness was necessary to achieve a goal.

When Goten was nine, he first sparred with Gohan. Piccolo hadn't thought him ready, but Goten was arrogant and Gohan had been amused, so the fight had come to pass. Gohan, without even going to super saiyan, defeated Goten without Goten landing a punch. He had spent a week in the tanks, and never questioned Gohan's power again.

Goten had always been aware that Gohan sometimes toyed with prisoners long after their usefulness had run out. Only rumors, but Goten knew his brother well enough to recognize some truth in them. He wasn't bothered. Gohan was an epitome of strength, near perfection. It was almost comforting to know that even his brother had flaws.

A few weeks after Goten turned ten, a major celebration took place across the Emporium, but none greater than the party that was thrown in the royal palace of Taros III, capital and residence of Gohan, the golden lord, and Goten, the bloody aura. A rather disturbing nickname, but true enough. After his first purge, his power had always seemed to manifest a dark red.

Goten was normally rather fond of celebrations. He often met others of his own age and status, a rarity in the palace mostly populated by servants, and saw strange aliens that he wasn't required to kill. However, this was different. A major victory for Emporium forces, and also a first, for Gohan had gotten involved in the battle. A necessity; the leader of the decimated group had power enough that even Piccolo wasn't assured of victory, and Gohan wanted blood. Years later, tales were told of the golden lord achieving the heavenly aura that characterized an ascended saiyan, and the battle that followed. Goten had seen this often enough when Gohan was training, but it was a sight rarely viewed by the masses. After that, the resistance cell didn't stand a chance. Those who lived were executed, save one, who was brought to the capital unconscious, his wounds untreated.

With the most powerful opponent of the Emporium defeated, a series of victories took place over the variety of rebellious factions. This turned out to be more of a detriment than an advantage, as it finally persuaded the various insurgence groups to join forces. This, Goten noticed, put even more stress on the namekian second in command of the Emporium then there was already. He had seen Piccolo more than once wandering the halls as bouts of insomnia kept him from achieving the peace required for meditation.

Gohan had not been bothered. Sometimes Goten wondered whether Gohan noticed anything, especially after he gained a new focus, and his worldview quickly narrowed to one, solitary, creature. Supposedly the interrogation rooms were soundproof. This soon proved to be a complete and utter falsehood. . . unless Goten was imagining things. Goten didn't have much of an imagination to speak of.

It had happened before. Gohan would get a new toy, and be utterly fixated on it until he broke it a few days or weeks later. Then he would go back to being the competent and powerful (though slightly unstable) ruler of the universe. . . until he came across another trifle, and the cycle would start all over again. Goten expected this to be the same. Gohan had taken a shine to powerful fighters before (even if they did lack the sheer capacity for deadliness as his current plaything). If anything, they were found in the disintegrator even sooner than the others. Brittle things break when there is too much pressure. Nothing shatters easier than a warrior's pride.

This time was different. It first became obvious one morning several months after the annihilation of the rebellion cell. Goten's morning started out with the usual routine; he tried to push the sleep button on his alarm clock and broke it (again), dragged on his gi, went through his morning katas, got his ass handed to him by Piccolo, got holes in his technique prodded at by Piccolo, took a shower, said good morning to his mother (it was 50/50 odds whether she'd return the greeting), and went to eat breakfast.

Someone else was in the kitchen. This wasn't unusual, it was unprecedented. Piccolo didn't eat. Gohan always ate breakfast in his office, or he skipped breakfast entirely. When pushed about this, Piccolo told him Gohan didn't like eating in kitchens. Servants were told to stay out. This was Goten's domain. It was finally concluded that someone hadn't been informed of the way of things.

Goten valued his kitchen. He had ruined several meals there. He ate his cereal, eggs, sausage, and muffins there every morning. He distinctly remembered hitting Gohan with a paint balloon once, in the adjacent corridor (by mistake, actually. He had been aiming for the damn butler who always set his alarm an hour too early). He could refrain, however. He wouldn't get angry. He wasn't his brother. He allowed for mistakes.

However, he could be surprised. He knew this person, or at least recognized him. From vids, mostly, and one glance in person, though at the time he had been soaked with his own distinctive, violet blood. ((Though come to think of it, the color wasn't so distinctive, anymore. The android's plasma was the same shade.)) The rebellion cell leader.

He looked nothing like the vids. Or that first "meeting" as it were, though they had exchanged no words. The changeling hadn't even been fully conscious at the time. Even so, there had been an aura of lethality about him, of hopeless resistance. Cooler wasn't stupid. He knew he didn't stand a chance against whatever awaited him. But he didn't want to give in to his fate.

Now. . . not defeated, exactly. Or maybe it was, but. . . helpless frustration. He recognized the changes in himself, and hated it. Goten had always been adept at reading auras. Unlike Gohan, who's early training had been, because of necessity, focused on brute force, the lack of need for Goten's talent meant Piccolo could use more subtle methods for the advancement of the demi-saiyan's training. Sometimes Goten felt this had shortchanged him in the raw power department, but he had a fine tune control over his power that Gohan couldn't match and only Piccolo surpassed. Slight fluctuation in feeling was blindingly obvious to one who could read opponents' movements like his own.

The changeling was a magnificent creature. Had to be, for Gohan to take such an interest in him. He had held the warrior's pride as surely as any other fighter, but it had been tempered by failure of his followers and the knowledge that powers out there surpassed his own. There was still something of that in the figure standing before Goten, but honed to an even finer point. No arrogance, just the comprehension of one's strengths. . . and weaknesses. Gohan had a habit of making those blindingly obvious to his amusements.

It was just then that the changeling noticed him. There was no surprise, but this seemed less because he had known Goten was there and more he couldn't be bothered to express any emotion that required as much facial movement as that. Goten spoke first. "Any particular reason you're in my kitchen?" A shrug.

"I wanted something to eat." The sheer informality of the changeling's statement was startling.

"I'm surprised Gohan hasn't killed you yet. Usually he loses interest much more quickly." Apparently not with Cooler. Vivid scars covered the changeling's body, a majority of them mostly healed over but others much more recent, some still slightly bleeding. The brand above his left shoulder blade looked to be no more than a few hours old. And the collar encircling the throat of Gohan's newest plaything spoke of an unheard of permanence. The changeling met his eyes calmly, but shifted under his prolonged scrutiny. So, either Gohan was losing his touch, or Cooler just repressed a great strength of will that Gohan had noticed, and wanted to possess. The older demi-saiyan professed a fondness for the rare and unusual. "Any idea why you're still around?"

"No."

That pretty much concluded their first encounter. Goten had nothing more to say. Cooler hadn't had anything to say to begin with. Goten sat down to eat breakfast, and Cooler looked to be deciding between a muffin or a bagel before a sharp hiss alerted Goten to his unwanted guest, who currently had his hand at his neck, though it hovered a centimeter or two above actually touching the collar. The changeling walked out without another word being uttered, and Goten promptly forgot about him. He had a purging assignment to take care of, and the ship left in an hour. It wouldn't do for the mission's commander to be late.

----

It didn't take long for Cooler's presence in the palace to again manifest itself. Books started to go missing from the royal private library. Literature like "The Art of War," which Gohan had memorized by the time he hit puberty. Goten knew it as well, but he liked to look over the better of his family's collection once in a while. For the first, and thankfully the last, time, the book wasn't there.

Goten actually once encountered the changeling between the shelves. He hadn't bothered with pleasantries. "Why do you keep taking my books?"

"There isn't anything else for me to do around here. I might as well endeavor to understand your culture." "We don't have a culture. We're hybrids. Besides that, you won't get anywhere near to understanding Gohan by reading Earth texts. You'd do better with the namekian ones." Cooler raised an eyebrow ridge.

"I thought he was raised on Earth."

"In the woods, not anywhere near human civilization, and Piccolo pretty much took care of him from four on anyway." A gross generalization, but Goten couldn't wrap his mind around their mother taking care of anyone, and he didn't like to think about his father.

"Ah." Cooler carefully slid the book he was holding back onto the shelf. "Would you kindly direct me to the namekian volumes?"

"Two bookcases to the left, top three shelves."

"Thank you."

Goten didn't care, really. He just hated to see people futilely waste their time, which was most likely why he didn't bother toying with his opponents on purges. Misuse of energy best spent elsewhere. And it didn't look like Cooler had time or energy to spare. Gohan was prone to taking out his moods on whoever was available.

----

It was several months later before Goten actually saw Gohan and Cooler together. He rather wished he had found a way to avoid the experience. No matter what your race or how you were raised, it is always disturbing to see one of your parental figures (which sometimes made Goten wonder whether he subconsciously thought of Piccolo as his mother, or if it was indeed possible to have two father figures and not be scarred for life, and there goes my political commentary for the month) sticking his tongue in someone's mouth.

Goten had never really contemplated the exact nature of the abuse Gohan put his victims through. Physical, for sure. Many of the examined bodies showed extensive burns, scars, mutilations. Mental, most likely. Goten himself had largely avoided the sharper edge of Gohan's tongue, but more than once he had witnessed those who dared to oppose his elder brother, be it socially, politically, or otherwise, being dragged off screaming incoherently to their planet's mental institutions.

He had never really considered sexual. Goten easily forgave himself for this oversight. All maturity aside, he was just a few months shy of eleven.

He had never thought of his brother as uncontrolled, either. With power as great as Gohan's, mastery over your ki was essential, or else it would eat you alive. But there was nothing restrained in the demi-saiyan before him. Ascended, Gohan's left hand easily contained Cooler's two, constrained above his head, tightly against the wall. The right gripped the changeling's chin firmly, not letting him pull away. Not that he was really trying. Goten couldn't tell if Cooler was just resigned to his fate, or he enjoyed the taller, more powerful warrior's command over him as the demi-saiyan relentlessly explored his mouth. He didn't seem the type for the latter, but months alone with your captor could do strange things to a person. There was actually a name for the disorder, but Goten was too busy trying to back out of the room inconspicuously to think of it.

He really should have knocked before entering Gohan's office. Well, lesson learned. Maybe he would buy his brother a lock for his next birthday.

----

Things proceeded from there. More worlds were conquered. Goten's finely tuned mastery over his ki increased, though his power seemed lazy in catching up. Gohan's ki did the exact opposite, though blowing the occasional head off an annoying subordinate didn't seem to bother the elder demi-saiyan at all. Cooler's already large collection of scars grew, including a startlingly vibrant gash that diagonally split the changeling's face in two. Cooler didn't volunteer any information. Goten didn't ask. Piccolo spoke less and less, which Goten could only hope was an indication of his increasing fighting proficiency and not a portent of bad things Goten just couldn't see. The Rebellion continued to be a thorn in the Emporium's side, but it little affected the pattern of life in the palace on Taros III.

Goten was fourteen when he finally found out what had happened to his father. "Gohan killed him." This came as more than a surprise. Goten hadn't even been asking when a breather in their sparring had brought about Piccolo's declaration. It didn't even make any sense. Gohan spoke of their father and his time with him in the fond, reminiscing tones he usually saved for the stories of the pet dragon he had as a child.

"Why?"

"Because Goku couldn't protect him when he should have. Or perhaps Goku just wouldn't. There was a threat to Earth once, one Goku should have stopped. But he made Gohan fight in his place."

"To increase his power." Goten could understand that. Gohan often made him fight against opponents that the elder demi-saiyan would have no trouble defeating. Invariably, Goten received a jump in power after spending a few hours in the recovery tanks, and he could never stay angry at his brother long. His lack of power was his weakness, and he took every chance to increase it. But Piccolo was shaking his head.

"No. He just wanted Gohan to get over his dislike of. . . fighting." This, Goten couldn't fathom. Gohan? Not wanting to fight? All that was normal and sane in the universe did a temporary 180, but quickly reasserted itself. "Gohan won, but Goku died in the process."

"So. . . Gohan liked fighting after that?"

"No. If anything, Goku's death temporarily drove Gohan away from fighting altogether. It didn't last long, but things really changed three years later. Gohan died, and after I wished him back with the dragonballs. . ."

Goten couldn't hold back a snicker. Magic seemed like such a crock. Wishing people back from the dead. Meeting god. Okay, maybe that wasn't so far-fetched, as apparently Piccolo had been god at one time or another and so had Dende, whom Goten had met once (the shorter namekian had seemed rather unstable. He called Piccolo Nail, for Kaioushin's sake, though Piccolo had done nothing to destroy Dende's illusion). Guardian would perhaps be a better label, but Piccolo had also met a higher god. Maybe there was a level somewhere where the Kaious actually had the omniscience and omnipotence commonly associated with Greater Beings, but Goten had a hard time believing. Piccolo shot him a look, but continued his story.

". . . he was a warrior, then, but of a darker order than anything Goku ever could have wished for." Then there was some description of the rather gruesome bloodbath that followed, but Goten was far more interested in watching Cooler slump against the glass observation wall that looked over the training room, obviously in the belief that the glass was tinted. When blood started to dye the glass purple, Goten started to feel slightly concerned. When the changeling collapsed, Goten passed concerned, but morbid curiosity overwhelmed his usual good sense, which was currently yelling at him to notify the royal (and discreet) physician over his ear link, so he stood up to investigate instead. Piccolo was still talking. ". . .so Gohan blew up the Earth." Normally very observant, Piccolo took until just then to notice his student's distraction. "Goten, what is it?"

"Cooler."

"Goten, now is not the time to be thinking about your brother's. . . oh no."

As Piccolo quickly (and oddly, somewhat frantically) alerted the physician, Goten walked out of the training room and up the stairs to Cooler. For a moment, he gazed down at his brother's work, and it was Gohan, for no one else could do that kind of damage to one as powerful as the changeling. The left arm looked partially torn off. Despite all logic, the brand was bleeding. There was a variety of other minor cuts and bruises, a particularly nasty one covering the entirety of Cooler's neck. To make things even worse, the face disfiguring scar had reopened, tingeing the facial features a distinct shade of lilac, which made it difficult to tell if the changeling was breathing. Goten checked the pulse. There still was one, and it was strong, though worryingly erratic.

The physician and her assistants soon arrived, and took Cooler off to the ward. He survived, barely, though it took months before he spoke again. And he never was the same, after that. Goten hadn't expected the life of his friend (for he could be nothing else) to endure. He hadn't wanted it to, after finally realizing the horror the changeling lived in every day. Goten wasn't used to it, someone he was close to, someone he had discussed books with and had taught him how to cook an egg without it turning out all rubbery, being hurt. By Gohan. By his brother, who had been torturing Cooler for years, and had tortured others for years before. Seeing some of the scars on Cooler, for the first time really seeing them, Goten remembered they hadn't been there when Cooler was first brought to the capital. And only something horrible could leave scars like that.

For the first time, Goten began to have doubts. What sort of person could hurt someone for no reason, and enjoy it? It took him years before he knew the answer.

----

Only a monster. Only a demon could mete out such pain, on one who did not deserve it, because _no one_ deserved it. Goten could see now, why Cooler had rejected him. If Gohan was a demon, only a being of equal horror could stand by for years, watching such agony being inflicted and knowing its evil, and do nothing. He was the brother of a demon. And such things ran in families, after all. Goten needed to get rid of the taint, before it completely stained what was left of his soul.


	4. Dreaming Reality

Author's Note: A week or two ago I watched "Bojack Unbound." I thought it would be a good movie, as the premise sounded promising, but unfortunately it was the most disappointing of all the DBZ movies to date. I've seen them all, excluding the Brolly one (as I heard Vegeta was a coward in it, and though he is no longer my favorite character, if there is one thing he's not, it's a coward), and this one was not very good. The beginning was interesting enough, but they killed off the best looking villain first as if they didn't want Trunks to have competition, they had Bojack kill one of his minions for no reason as if the writers felt they needed more proof that he was evil, and Bojack had a stupid voice. So did many of his minions, but he had the worst. They also all had the same personality (including Bojack).

However, the worst travesty of the entire thing, other than Gohan going SSJ2 because Goku says, "Gohan, I know you can do it!" is how Bojack reacted to Gohan's transformation. He gaped, attacked with no plan, got a hole punched through his stomach, threw an energy blast (which promptly got overwhelmed by Gohan's Kamehameha) and died. Think about it, when it happened to Cell, he briefly freaked out, but he managed to find a way around Gohan's superior power and it was only Vegeta' interference that stopped him from being victorious. Two good points: Gettting to watch Piccolo kick Krillin's butt without moving and then insulting him, and one line said by Gohan. Well, it actually wasn't such a great line, but in comparison... anyway, here it is. After Bojack expressed disbelief at Gohan's power, the demi-saiyan said, and I quote: "You forgot one thing; I am my father's son!"

Now I am going to give you the newer movie awards:

History of Trunks: Most heart-wrenching

Bardock, Father of Goku: Best back story for DBZ

Lord Slug: Best fight scenes

Cooler's Revenge: Best villains

The Return of Cooler: Weirdest premise

Android Thirteen: Most amusing ending

Brolly: Never saw it

Bojack Unbound: Well, I suppose it deserves strangest reason for a fighting tournament

And now, 9,000 words after the story's beginning, the main character actually makes an appearance! It is disturbingly hard to write angst. In humor, one stupid joke doesn't ruin the story, but one misplaced adjective in angst just kills the whole mood.

Jay Goose: Goten isn't the main character; he's _one_ of them. Big difference. This thing is still mainly focused on the weirdness between Gohan and Cell. I just took a while to get to it.

Cell didn't have a destination in mind when he left Fulkin behind him. So he just wandered, though he had enough sense to stop at the nearest planet he came across and get a good idea of the location of Taros III. Having direction was enough to alleviate the feeling of purposelessness, even if that direction was just going the way Gohan wasn't.

It was not, however, enough to alleviate the feeling of guilt. Initially, Cell had gotten some amusement out of imagining how the encounter between Goku and Gohan would go. Something like. . . "Gohan, I know there is still some goodness in your. . . ahhhhh! My eyes!" Though he was probably picturing it wrong. Twenty years had passed, after all. Gohan wouldn't be a child anymore. It stopped being amusing after that.

He had kept a low profile, for various reasons. One, he didn't want to attract the attention of the locals, as even this far out the Emporium had influence, and that would lead to getting the attention of Emporium officials, which could only end one way; badly. Two, the ki shielder Marron had handed him as he left the Rebellion base wouldn't allow him to gather a significant amount of ki without overloading the thing, and that would be a far more straightforward way (and therefore, even more undesirable) of getting Gohan's attention than number one.

He still fought, of course, as tournaments were the most direct method of getting funds, and though Cell had a variety of other marketable skills, they required he stay in one place for long periods of time. He couldn't take the chance, especially if he stuck around on one planet too long the natives started to notice. . . things. You can only stare blankly at a wall so many times before mental institutions start to sneak into conversations. Cell wasn't entirely sure he shouldn't follow their advice.

The hallucinations were getting stronger. At first, it had been nothing. A whispering in the back of his mind, something just out of sight. On the edge of his vision. Irritating, but easy enough to write them off. Then he had started dreaming. It didn't make sense. He hadn't needed to sleep before, but now it was almost impossible to stave off the exhaustion for more than a few days. And he finally understood why humans used the nightmare as an analogy for the worst of horrors.

Blood. Pain. _Fear_. And a voice, a constant murmur, never ceasing, always there. The dreams stayed with him, long after they should have faded. Vivid, instant recall. For the first time, Cell cursed the flawless memory that had been granted to him. Like now, after three days had passed without rest, and Cell knew he could put it off no longer. Collapsing against the wall on a planet no one had heard of with a people not worth remembering, Cell fell into unconsciousness.

SWITCH

"You're new." Why was it that no matter where he went, he always ran into Trunks? He didn't even like Trunks. Hell, he didn't even _not _like him. But this, this wasn't the Trunks that so resembled the one from the future, the one that guided him through his divided soul. This one had eyes that were so dull and lifeless Cell had to check twice to make sure it was in fact the demi-saiyan who had spoken. Approximately the same age as Mirai Trunks, maybe a few years older. Hair past his waist, wound in a tight braid. A lavender tail, hanging limply down, weaving around the ankles. A thin, golden collar. And a bite.

No matter the universe, Trunks wasn't stupid. "It's faded quite a bit. In a few weeks it will be gone entirely. Yours looks rather recent. Did you arrive yesterday? Sorry I didn't greet you." A weak grin that held no humor, a smile that would have been blasphemy to return. "I was kind of out of it at the time. Blood resin will do that to you."

"I wouldn't know."

"You will, soon enough. I'm sorry I won't be able to help you adjust."

Well, _that _sounded ominous. "Any particular reason why?"

"Gohan is going to kill me tomorrow, and it's kind of hard to show the new guy around when you're dead." Trunks smiled softly at the look of surprise apparent in Cell's eyes. "Don't look so shocked. You're here. You're the one Gohan has been looking for. Now I'm useless." The demi-saiyan rubbed his temples. "The resin must have really wasted me. Of course you didn't arrive yesterday. You've always been here."

Cell felt his blood run cold. "What?"

"Wherever Gohan is, you are. And I am an idiot." The absent smile that came with the demi-saiyan's self-incrimination was incongruous with what he was saying. Who would be amused at their own thoughtlessness? "That bite is a good twenty years old. Sorry, I've forgotten what it's like for the bonded." This chill went down his spine, but left a searing coldness in its wake, and didn't fade.

"Elaborate."

"Well, the bite's permanent, for the bonded. The mark only fades if one of them dies."

Trunks' eyes softened at the stricken look that Cell couldn't hide. "You'll be okay. I. . . I was just joking, about the blood resin. Gohan won't do anything to you. He can't. You're his other half. He would be hurting himself as well."

"Trunks. . . you of all people should know that I've always been a bit of a masochist."

A voice from the shadows. The voice from his dreams. Reminiscent of Goku, but with a bitterness that Goku couldn't carry off at his most murderous. It seemed odd that the words reverberated. The room couldn't be more than fifteen feet going both ways, and half that in height. ((Wait a minute. . .)) There had been no echo. That second sound. . . he had heard it before Gohan had said a word.

A hand brushed his neck, a gentle caress. An arctic wind would have been warmer. "It's funny. When I did this to you, I had no idea what it meant. It was a foolish child's whim, an unrepressed instinct. Thoughtless of me, but I suppose I could have chosen worse." Dark amusement graced his next words. "My father, for instance. Then I would have had to kill the fool."

"You call Goku names, but you easily forget that he was already dead. And either you yourself are a fool, or you've been telling your concubine over there lies."

"Whatever do you mean, dear one?"

Cell ignored Gohan's attempt to goad him. "You gave this to me when both of us were in Heaven, so why hasn't it faded, if death is the catalyst?"

"So observant." The demi-saiyan touched his cheek, ran fingers across the android's face, before abruptly grasping Cell's chin in a bruising grip and forcing them face to face. Cell felt his heart sink as he realized the situation, beyond all probability, had actually gotten worse. Having to crane his neck to see the demi-saiyan's eyes sent an implacable, irrefutable fact slamming down on Cell's logical, left-dominated brain; Gohan was taller than he was. It wasn't by much. In reality, it couldn't be more than two inches, but the android could literally feel his last advantage slip through his fingers, and that made it seem much, much larger.

"Gohan. . ." The ebony-haired demi-saiyan responded without moving his gaze from the wide pools of violet, disturbingly focused in plunging the depths.

"Trunks, you know as well as I do that your worth to me is minimal. It isn't so much a question of wanting to die. It's more of knowing whether you want to die quickly and painlessly, or a horrible, long, lingering death that will add to the servants' already considerable repertoire of nightmares?"

It was almost disgusting how easily Trunks wilted from Gohan's idle threats. Though perhaps it was slightly hypocritical to look down on someone for wanting to avoid the bloodthirsty demi-saiyan's wrath, when he himself couldn't tear his eyes away due to a paralysis brought on by sheer, undiluted terror.

Then the two of them were alone. Cell, during Trunks' quiet and abrupt exit, had tried to jumpstart his logic centers, but had only been partially successful. Really, Gohan currently wasn't even a super-saiyan, much less ascended. Why in Kami's name didn't he kill the demi-saiyan while he had the chance and shove this whole nightmarish experience into a deep, dark little corner to never be seen again? He would have followed his own advice. . . if he could get his limbs to move.

Then Gohan was kissing him, and his scar started to burn. Rather than being at war with his current state of frozen terror and granting him a temporary respite from extreme temperatures, the fire that trickled down his shoulder and into his spine formed a truce with the ice, borne of the common goal to make him miserable. Not that they really had to work hard at it. Despair was already setting in as hands gripped his upper arms in an unbreakable embrace, and the little voice blew past irritating straight into migraine-causing. ((I can almost taste your fear. It is. . . intoxicating.)) It was nerve-wracking in hindsight to realize that the echo he had heard earlier had actually been in his own head, Gohan's thoughts shattering his barriers like cheap glass before any words were spoken. He did not get a shadow of Gohan's emotions; he received them pure, untainted, as full as Gohan himself experienced them. And Cell could no longer tell the difference between the reflection and the one who cast it. ((You are my other half. The balance to the scales. I need you.)) And Cell felt himself kissing Gohan back. ((I love you.)) And though he didn't know whose thought it was, neither did he care.

SWITCH

Cell woke to a voice filled with terror. For once it wasn't his own. "Leggo, please leggo of me arm! I wasn't gonna steal nothin', I just saw you lying there an' I thought it looked uncomfortable an'. . ." The grip Cell had on the rather greasy beggar's arm tightened as he studied his memory. How could he have imagined it in such detail that he thought it to be reality? He didn't even know what Gohan looked like anymore. The beggar's panicked whine declined into gibberish as Cell's fist clenched, pulverizing the bone that lay directly under the skin, tearing muscle. The android abruptly let go, not out of any sense of guilt so much as the sudden need to be away from civilization, leaving behind a now crippled beggar and a wall stained with violet handprints.

Deep in the woods of the planet Cell still couldn't remember the name of, he examined why the dream had so badly affected him. Other nightmares had rattled him, but this was impossible. Even after waking, it still felt less like a dream and more like a memory, though a deeply disturbing one. He had almost convinced himself of the triviality of such imaginings (all dreams were, were a manifestation of fears, after all), when he finally saw the bruises, which encircled his upper arms in a ring of dark purple and an imprint of finger tips. An earlier vision came back to him. (('He will always be with you, when you're awake, while you sleep, while you dream. . .'))

"Why is it that even the dead prophets have everything wrong?" The tree next to him wasn't forthcoming with an answer, but Cell hadn't expected one. Why had Bardock seemed so convinced that distant would weaken whatever hold Gohan had on him? Of course, it could be even worse than it looked; that the dream actually _was_ weaker than what Gohan could do him, if they actually met. If they saw each other face to face in reality, not just illusion.

This was ridiculous. Gohan hadn't really even _done_ anything to him. The bruises were already fading. Why was he, so. . . rubbing his arms didn't drive away the cold. ((He's going to find me. It's not a matter of if, but of when.)) The lake edge beckoned him, and he walked over to the clearing, looking at the three moons that moved in the planet's orbit. ((His reflection. . .)) Half-expecting to see Gohan when he looked in the water, Cell was relieved to see no one but himself, though it was a him that looked far more defeated than he was. ((Do I want to be running when he finds me?)) Stalling the inevitable wouldn't change the conclusion, but the bravery to face your worse fears was only found in the souls of heroes. And Cell was no hero. However. . .

((Gohan may be insane, but he is still Goku's son. And if we do share the same soul, then all I have to do is borrow his courage for a while.)) And Cell allowed himself a genuine smile, feeling like himself for the first time in almost a month. ((I'm an evil android created to live off the essence of humanity and destroy the world. If I'm not allowed to cheat, who is?))


End file.
